Psychedelic Symbiosis with Dennis McKenna

We are humbled to be speaking with psychedelic pioneer, Dennis McKenna. Dennis and his late brother Terrence are some of the most influential figures in western psychedelic culture. The brothers contributed to the introduction to psilocybin mushrooms in the United States, including but not limited to, cultivation techniques, ethnomycology, user guidance, and providing spores. Dennis was active in the psychedelic movement in the 60s and continues to shape the 21st century renaissance through education and organizations such as the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy. Prepare for some serious wisdom and untold stories from the McKenna family.

Topics Covered:

• The McKenna’s trip to La Chorrera in search of psychedelic Virola sap called oo-koo-hey, and the inadvertent encounter of Psilocybe cubensis in cow pies
• Psilocybin as an ideal oral form of DMT
• Chemical composition of psychedelic mushrooms i.e beta-carboline content
• The McKenna family, from a small town in Colorado and the becoming of the most influential figures in western psychedelic use
• Psilocybin’s potential influence on hominid evolution including fossil records, ecological history, circumstantial evidence, epigenetics and more
• Prohibition and regulation of psilocybin and other entheogens
• Organismic birthrights to form a relationship with the natural world

Show notes:

• McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy: https://mckenna.academy/
• Heffter Research Institute: https://www.heffter.org/
• Erowin reports on Virola sap: https://erowid.org/library/books_online/golden_guide/g71-80.shtml
• Psilocybin: A Magic Mushroom Grower’s Guide: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/415951.Psilocybin
• Life with Terrance McKenna: https://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Screaming-Abyss-Dennis-McKenna-ebook/dp/B00A8KWLYK

Notable Quotes:

“Part of the message from nature is, [psilocybin] is the perfect psychedelic, you don’t really need to improve on it.”
“We were approaching this like engineers, we wanted to build a machine out of our own bodies that would enable us to visit other dimensions.”

“People should have a fundamental right to form symbiosis. And because we’re talking about alliances with non-human organisms, it's not even a human right, it's an organismic right.”

“When you choose to use a drug, you’re choosing a relationship.... call it a symbiotic relationship.”

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